National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Regional Office

Steller sea lions, photo: Dave Csepp

Protected Resources Division

Killer whales swimming by NOAA research vessel. Photo: NOAA Fisheries

The Protected Resources Division (PRD), with offices in Juneau and Anchorage, is responsible for developing management and conservation programs for all but three
species of marine mammals in Alaska, and for providing regional policy guidance on marine mammal and other protected species
issues. In administering provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the
Fur Seal Act, and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation Act, the biologists and staff of the PRD work with other NMFS offices to develop regulations and management measures to protect, conserve and restore marine mammal populations.

A few of the areas that the PRD is specifically involved in are managing commercial fishery interactions with marine mammals and seabirds,
coordinating Steller sea lion recovery efforts, co-management of marine mammal
subsistence harvests with Alaska Native organizations, coordinating the Alaska
Marine Mammal Stranding Network, establishing responsible marine mammal viewing guidelines, and
developing and distributing public information and educational materials about marine mammals in
Alaska. The division also consults on permit requests for scientific research, capture of marine
mammals for public display, and takes of marine mammals incidental to other activities.
Additionally, PRD consults with Federal agencies under Section 7 of the Endangered Species
Act to ensure that Federal agency activities do not adversely affect threatened or endangered
marine mammal species or their critical habitat.

Human Interactions

NOAA Fisheries requests input to inform development of national guidelines on safely deterring marine mammals under NOAA's jurisdiction as required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Comment period through January 15, 2015.

Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the environmental impacts of issuing Incidental Take Authorizations (ITAs) pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) for the taking of marine mammals incidental to anthropogenic activities in the waters of Cook Inlet, Alaska. NMFS will hold a public scoping meeting to begin the scoping process.